A & A

[09]: the dinner

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09

the dinner

"The familiarity we share

and the bond we’ve forged

will always be there,

space and time be damned.”

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Aurora's scowl never left her face. Even when they were all already seated in their table and she received all of their greetings of congratulations, her scowl didn't let up — and it's because of the certain grey-eyed blonde sat beside her with a subtle smirk plastered on his lips. Of all the places he could sit on, he just had to choose the one beside her, ignoring the annoyed look on her face when he took his seat. Frank and Sally noticed this of course, the former knowing exactly why, but the latter just assuming that it was about what happened earlier at the bakery.

Sally never really did know the truth — that Alexander was her stepdaughter's former lover. Frank didn't tell her about it nor did he attempt to since he respects his daughter too much to reveal things that are not his place to do so. So as a result, he just listened to his wife ramble on and on about how Alexander and Aurora are sure to get along, not bothering to correct her of her assumptions, during the first time the couple saw him — Frank for the first time in after a few years and Sally for the first time — period.

"Andy, we never really did ask you." Frank said in an attempt to ease the tense atmosphere between his daughter and the guy sitting beside her. "How were you and your parents when you were in Columbia?"

"It was a little hard, especially since everything was different. From the language, to the culture, it was all just so new, you know?" Alexander replied as he looked at Frank, noticing the look Aurora had on her face. He paid no mind to it however, focusing all of his attention to her father. "And I had to learn their language — which was kind of hard but I still managed. But thankfully, most of the people I've met there were pretty kind. Most of them were women though." He immediately snuck a fleeting glance at Aurora to look at her reaction before turning his gaze back to Frank.

Aurora knew that she should have just kept her mouth shut and said nothing else. But somehow, her tactlessness has seemed to have woken up to life ever since her encounter with him this afternoon. So with a blank look on her face she said, "Gee, I wonder why."

All attention instantly turned to her the second those words escaped her lips. Out of everyone in the room, Alexander was really only the one who knows what those words meant. She's said that to him a lot of times in the past for him not to remember it, especially the secret message that comes with it. He knows what jealous Aurora looks like and he's seen it more than he can count. So seeing it now only made him feel hopeful about everything, but he also knows that he can't really expect that much since — as he has pointed out earlier — Aurora is extremely unpredictable.

With a subtle smirk etched on his lips, he chuckled quietly in his place before facing her and saying, "Do you really have to? It's obviously because of my good looks and heartwarming charm."

"And do you know what those you just said are called? Bullshit." She answered, ignoring the warning stare her father is giving her and the disapproving stare her stepmother is giving her. Meanwhile, her brother, who was sitting on her right, only looked at her with furrowed eyebrows along with the questioning look dancing in his eyes.

"Aury, what's bullshit?" asked her innocent little brother after looking at her for the longest time. 

Aurora closed her eyes, thinking about how stupid she is for saying yet another curse word in front of her brother and how her father would scold her for it — again. And she's pretty sure that this time, Sally would be scolding her too. Oh the joy. As she reopened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the amused face of her past lover sitting beside her. She absolutely had no idea how in the world his face ended up being the first thing she saw, but that was what happened; what fate willed her to see. Rolling her eyes at Alexander's grinning face, she turned to her brother with a sweet smile on her face before saying, "That's another bad word you're not supposed to say."

Theo scrunched up his nose. "Then why—"

"Remember what we talked about earlier?" Aurora interrupted him. "My answer to that is still the same as before."

"But Aury—"

"Shush. Just forget I ever said that word and act like it never happened." She said, the chuckle that escaped Alexander's lips not left unnoticed by her.

Aurora absolutely loves and adores her brother, but she hates it — at least sometimes — when he starts asking too many questions. Especially when it involves asking questions about things she has a hard time explaining to him and things that she really would rather not explain to him. Refusing to answer would be the simplest way, but Theo's extremely stubborn and he doesn't take no for an answer — just like Alexander. Sometimes, he really reminds her of his past lover because of their similar personalities.

Luckily for her, Theo seemed to take her answer into consideration and accepted it — rather reluctantly that is. "Okay. But why—"

Frank, who knew that Theo would not stop until he's satisfied, cut in with a clear of his throat. "So Andy, did you have a hard time learning their language there in Columbia?" He asked, ignoring the glare Theo gave him, focusing his attention solely on an amused looking Alexander, but not also missing Aurora's thankful gaze and his wife's smirking one.

If there is one thing Frank absolutely couldn't take, it's seeing a good night get ruined because of useless banters and petulant arguments. He was sure that the conversation Aurora and Theo had was slowly turning into an argument because why wouldn't it? Both siblings were highly opinionated about almost everything and won't stop until they've proven their point. And so, the only way to remedy that — one that always seems to work — is him interrupting them in between arguments and squeezing in a new topic for all of them to talk about. Take now for example — although he's pretty sure that his daughter wouldn't find the new topic more interesting than the bouquet of white lilies he gave her as an object of examination.

Alexander was pretty sure he already mentioned that tidbit a little while ago when he was telling the Crovers about how he was in Columbia, but there's really no harm in sharing the same information twice, right? So with a thoughtful look on his face, he replied, "Well, learning Spanish did turn out to be quite difficult, but I still managed to learn it. Mom was no problem since she already knows how to speak the language. Dad, well, that's a completely different story. I can't really explain it in full detail, but it was hilarious watching him learn it."

Frank gave off a laugh. "For some reason, I can exactly imagine Harold trying to learn Spanish. When we were still in high school, your father and I both had French and let me tell you, it was a highly amusing sight watching him stutter and try to speak or understand the words that are coming out of our teacher's mouth."

And this is the story of how Alexander and Aurora came to be friends. Their fathers were best friends when they were both in high school and they were absolutely inseparable — even when they went to college and even after the both of them got married. The two friends decided to stay close to one another and in a much convenient coincidence, they both ended up as neighbors in the same town. As a result, both of their families became close friends over the years, their wives constantly going out together for either shopping or entertainment and their children becoming extremely close.

Both Aurora and Alexander grew up with the other always on their sides, the latter defending and protecting the former when she winds up being in trouble and the former helping and being there for the latter in the best way she knows how. It became almost instinctive for them to do all those things, especially for Alexander, who, despite his aloof personality and the blank look always plastered on his face, is extremely protective of her and makes it a point to come to her rescue whenever she's in trouble — which makes her feel annoyed whenever he does it too often. Not that she doesn't appreciate his gesture, it just always makes her feel like a damsel in distress.

"I know. Mom also told me that story and how you were also the one who told her that." Alexander replied with an amused smirk plastered on his lips. "Seriously Frank, you should consider pursuing a career in storytelling. You have a knack for it."

"That's what I told him." Sally chorused. "Over the years, I've heard a lot of stories and let me tell you, all of them were worth telling."

"Not all of them." Aurora muttered under her breath, which was loud enough for Alexander to hear her comment.

With a smirk, he lowered his head to reach her ear. The moment she felt his breath hover in her ear, she instantly flinched in her place, her mind turning too hazy and astonished to be able to push him away from her. Taking advantage of her lack of reaction, his smirk widened and he took the chance to whisper in her ear. "Well personally, I think the story about how you cried when you thought I could never walk again because of a minuscule sprain was the best."

The blush on her cheeks looked so beautiful to Alexander. It always seemed like an achievement to him whenever he makes her blush because it certainly isn't easy to do so — the woman is like a blush resistor.

She faced him with a sharp look in his eyes, but he didn't flinch when he saw it; if anything, it only upped the amusement he felt. "It was hardly a story when dad started rambling about it to your parents." She crossed her arms as she faced Sally, who sat right across from her, to avoid his face that was near to hers. "You were there when it happened. And besides, I was five years old at that time."

"Still doesn't make the situation any less funnier." He focused his steady gaze on her. "Or any less cuter."

And there it was again — the blush on her cheeks. He let out a soft chuckle, even after she said, "Or any less stupider of you to say that."

"You know, your comebacks are starting to make no sense. Is that one of the effects of seeing me again?" He asked her, making the latter roll her sea blue eyes at him.

"I'm not even going to think about answering that one. It's not even worth answering." She replied, not noticing that all attention is now focused on them and that the food is already served.

"They say that silence means yes. And since I've known you all my life, I do know for a fact that your silence indeed means yes." The smug look on Alexander's face was enough to piss her off and mutter a few unintelligent things under her breath.

She has always been annoyed by how much he uses the things he knows about her against her just to prove his point. Even before, that's what he does; what he always does. It all started when they were eight years old and the both of them were playing in the Crovers' backyard, their parents talking and sitting on the chairs surrounding the fire pit. The two friends sat on the edge of the pool, letting their legs dangle on the water, playing twenty questions and laughing — well, at least Aurora is. Alexander only plastered a blank look on his face — at both of their answers.

"Alex, it's your turn. Ask me a question!" The eight-year old Aurora said, giving her friend a jovial grin, one that always makes Alexander roll his eyes at her never-ending bubbly personality.

Alexander sighed in his place before he looked at her with his soulful gray eyes that are almost filled with boredom and annoyance. "Do I really have to do this?" He asked.

"Yes! We agreed to do this, didn't we?" She gave him another grin. "Now come on and ask me something."

"I didn't remember ever agreeing to anything." He said in his most emotionless voice, hoping deep inside that his uninterested voice would deter Aurora's attention and her strong urge to convince him to play the stupid game.

"Well you're going to agree to it now." She argued, crossing her arms as she looked at him with a stubborn look on her face.

Knowing that there's really nothing he can do but to relent and give in to her want to play the game, he sighed once more and said, "Fine. I'll play the game."

As he saw her eyes light up in excitement and a big smile taking over her face, he couldn't help but let his lips tug at the side, making a small smirk to appear on his lips. "Alright. I know we've already played this game before and you already know me more than any of my other friends but I love playing this game." She said, the small smirk on Alexander's face disappearing on his face and making a blank look to replace it in an instant.

"Then let's play another game if we've already played it." He told her, the annoyance clear in his face as he kicked the water, making a small splash.

"No. Like I told you, I love this game." The glint in her eyes was one of building annoyance, prompting him to match her annoyed gaze with his own.

And just like that, an idea formed into his head as he remembered the words Aurora told him about the game. So with a new formed smirk finding its way onto his lips, he said, "But I thought you don't want to force people to do anything they don't like?"

She was momentarily taken by surprise, knowing that what he just said was true, but she narrowed her eyes at him right after. "How sure are you of that assumption?" She questioned him.

With the smirk still intact, he replied, "Not an assumption but a fact."

"How do you even know that's a fact?" came her annoyed query.

He absolutely enjoys seeing her reactions when he starts saying things that completely annoys her because aside from the fact that it's an amusing sight to watch, he also just likes to annoy her. As he brought his face closer to hers, watching her blink her eyes a couple of times, he took this as his chance to talk. "Because like you said, I know you more than any of your other friends."

Noticing the glare that his friend had thrown his way, he quickly stood up from the edge of the pool, the smirk still plastered on his face as he walked towards the direction of his parents. Even when he heard her scream his name in irritation, he only laughed in reply, grinning at the adults when they gave him a questioning glance.

With a scowl on her face, she s*****d him on the arm, and said, "Stop acting like you know everything."

He gave off a carefree laugh. "I'm not acting because I do know everything."

The scoff that escaped her lips was almost done in an instant. "You're not that smart." She said. "And you definitely don't know everything."

"But I do. And—"

"Oh shut up. You still don't know everything." She interrupted him, not noticing the smirk that is slowly taking over his lips as she focused her attention on anything else other than him.

"Not even a day has passed and you're already breaking the rules." Aurora only noticed then her mistake the moment he said those words to her. In almost an instant, she flinched yet again in her place. He didn't let her take a moment to gather her wits as he widened his smirk and whispered in her ear, "Remember rule number two, Aur?"

Oh f**k, was all Aurora could think of at that moment. She has completely forgotten about that but there's no way she's telling him that she forgot — ever. It would get worse for her if he finds out that she has indeed forgotten. Clearing her throat, she whispered back, "Who cares about your stupid rules anyway?"

With a slight chuckle, he pulled back and stared at her in amusement. "Well in this case, you do." He told her, not caring that she absolutely looks like she's ready to kill him any second. "And by the way, you're starting on your new job tomorrow. I don't need to remind you as to why you agreed to this, don't I?"

She narrowed her eyes at him before sending him a sarcastic smile. "Oh the joy."

"You'll enjoy being my personal assistant, trust me. Besides, you're lucky to be this close to me, you know. A whole lot of other girls would kill to be in your position right now." He knows that it's a horrible idea goading Aurora, but he merely enjoys being able to summon all kinds of emotion from her, even just by standing or sitting close to her — and because he especially likes to see the jealousy in her face that she's trying so hard to conceal.

"Then you should have hired those girls instead of me. Because unlike them, I'm actually not all that ecstatic about being with you." She hissed back, lowering her voice in the process since her father is already starting to look at her with a raised eyebrow. She cleared her throat and straightened herself in her seat. "And stop talking to me."

Alexander chuckled as he turned to his food, which he only noticed then. "Alright, fine."

Aurora reveled in the moment of Alexander completely respecting her wishes and not talking to her. However, there has always been one thought stuck in her mind ever since the moment they first met, but just didn't have the chance to ask him about it. She tried her very best to prevent herself from actually interacting with him willingly, much less talking to him first, but she just couldn't help her growing curiosity. So with a sigh, she asked him in a quiet voice, "Why do they call you Andy?"

He stopped halfway through putting the fork in his mouth upon hearing her words. He looked at her for a minute before pulling his hand away from his mouth and giving her a smirk. "I thought you said I should stop talking to you?" He asked her.

"But I didn't tell you that I would stop talking to you, did I?" Alexander's smirk only widened further. Upon noticing how her statement sounded, especially to someone as egotistical as him, she nearly choked on her food but was quick to grab the glass of water and drink it all in one go. She didn't look at him when she placed the glass back on the table, but the blush on her cheeks said way more than her words ever could. "I mean, I—"

"You just want to talk to me?" He offered, chuckling once again when he saw her roll her eyes. "Fine. I won't annoy you any further and answer your question seriously." It was then that she looked at him. "Actually, I don't really know either. All I know is that it's a derivation of my name."

Her stare then turned to a glare. "You're completely useless. I don't even know why I bother asking you."

He lifted his hand and patted her head. "Because you just want some reason to talk to me." He told her. She swatted his hand away with a scowl, making him laugh. "Oh and be sure to be ready by six in the morning tomorrow."

"Six in the morning?" Her eyes widened. "Are you insane? That's so early!"

He didn't even bother trying to say a lot of words. He only replied with, "Rule number one, remember?"

She released a breath to calm herself down when she started feeling her anger to build up inside of her again, thinking how stupid she was to agree to this stupid plan of his in the first place. She thought that her horror was over when he heard him speak again. "And wear sports wear tomorrow."

Before she could question him further with his odd choice of clothes, he already started engaging in a conversation with her father, knowing in herself that he's just avoiding all the protests and questions she's going to throw at him.

She rolled her eyes at him, willing herself not to strangle the guy to oblivion, before turning her attention back to the food in front of her. "Stupid Alex."